Early voting begins today

FINDLAY — Early voting at county boards of election throughout Ohio begins today and runs through Sunday, Nov. 3. For Hancock County residents, this takes place at the Hancock County Board of Elections, 201 E. Lincoln St., Findlay. Early in-person voting dates and times at the elections board office are as follows: • Tuesday, Oct. 8 through Friday, Oct. 11, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Tuesday, Oct. 15 through Friday, Oct. 18, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 21 through Friday, Oct. 25, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Saturday, Oct. 26, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. • Sunday, Oct. 27, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. • Monday, Oct. 28, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. • Tuesday, Oct. 29, 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. • Wednesday, Oct. 30 through Friday, Nov. 1, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. • Saturday, Nov. 2, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. • Sunday, Nov. 3, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Candidates This general election, Hancock County residents will vote for president and vice president and for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio. In the Senate race, incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown is being challenged by Republican Bernie Moreno. Libertarian Party candidate Don Kissick and four write-in candidates also will appear on the ballot for the Senate seat. Locally, Democrat Keith Mundy is running against incumbent Republican Bob Latta for the U.S. House seat in the state's 5th District, and Republican Ty Mathews and Democrat Sheila Coressel are competing for the state representative seat in the 83rd District. Phillip Riegle, R, and Alex Treece, independent, are vying for the open Hancock County Common Pleas Court judge seat, the term commencing Jan. 1, 2025. At the state level, there are three Ohio Supreme Court judgeships in competition: Michael Donnelly, D, faces Megan Shanahan, R; Joseph Deters, R, faces Melody Stewart, D; and Lisa Forbes, D, faces Daniel Hawkins, R. John Willamowski is running unopposed to be judge of the state's 3rd District Court of Appeals. There are a number of other local candidates running unopposed on the November ballot. These include Jeffrey Hunker, R, for county commissioner; William Bateson, R, for county commissioner; Sean Abbott, R, for county prosecutor; Cathy Prosser Wilcox, R, for clerk of courts of Common Pleas Court; Mike Cortez, R, for sheriff; Tracy Coldren, R, for county recorder; J. Steve Welton, R, for county treasurer; Douglas Cade, R, for county engineer; and Mark Fox, R, for county coroner. Kristie Reighard is also running unopposed on the ballot, to be 1st District member of the Ohio Board of Education. Issues There is one statewide issue on the general election ballot. Issue 1, proposes an amendment to the state constitution that would "replace the current politician-run redistricting process with a citizen-led commission required to create fair state legislative and congressional districts through a more open and independent system," according to the petition submitted to the Ohio Secretary of State's office. For more information and arguments for and against the proposed amendment, visit hancockcountyohioelections.gov and select "Voter Information," then "On the Ballot," then "Issues" and find documents on Issue 1. Findlay City School District voters will decide whether to OK the district's proposed annual 1% tax on the earned income of district residents for the purpose of paying current expenses. The income tax would begin Jan. 1, 2025. Voters across Hancock County will decide a number of other issues as well. The following issues also are on the ballot: • Riverdale Local School District, additional 1.9-mill levy for general permanent improvements for 5 years, beginning this year. • Van Buren Local School District, renewal of 1% income tax for current expenses for 5 years beginning in 2026. • Hancock County Job and Family Services, replacement 0.8-mill levy for supporting children's services and the care and placement of children by JFS for 5 years. • Bluffton Village, additional 0.4% municipal income tax for generating revenue for the capital and operational needs of village's safety services departments for 20 years. • Jenera Village, replacement 4-mill levy for providing adequate funds for village's necessary operating expenses for 5 years. • Union Township, bond issue 1.2 mills for constructing, furnishing and equipping a new township garage and clearing, improving and equipping its site in the amount of $750,000 for 15 years. • Pleasant-McComb-Portage Joint Ambulance District, additional 5.5-mill levy for providing ambulance service for 5 years beginning in 2025. • Forest-Jackson Public Library, renewal 0.7-mill levy for current expenses for 5 years. • Casey's General Store #4501, Fostoria N., desiring Sunday off-premises sales of wine and mixed beverages. • Hull's Trace Wine Cellar, Madison E., desiring on-premises liquor sales Monday-Friday. • Hull's Trace Wine Cellar, Madison E., desiring on- and off-premises sales of wine and mixed beverages and on-premises sales of liquor on Sunday. Find more in-depth election coverage in upcoming editions of The Courier and at thecourier.com.